1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to terminating flat flexible cables and, more particularly, to apparatus and methods for terminating flat flexible cables along a substantially flat surface, such as a floor, which terminating may take place prior to the laying of carpeting over both the floor and the terminated, flat flexible cables.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Flat flexible cable structures are known. A typical, flat flexible cable includes a number of spaced, substantially parallel-extending conductors which run along the length of a flat, longitudinally extending, dielectric member, and which form, with the dielectric member, an elongated, flexible article. Some examples of flat flexible cable structures are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,764,727 to J. W. Balde.
It is known also to employ flat flexible cables in various telephone wiring systems within buildings. One or more such cables may be extended along a floor surface to an area at which telephone equipment is to be connected, with a suitable floor covering, typically carpeting, thereafter being laid over the cable in order to hide it from view. Descriptions of such flat flexible cable usage, and of certain associated devices such as connectors, housings, etc., may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,934,072 and 4,030,801 to J. W. Balde and E. D. Bunnell, respectively.
In the flat flexible cable terminating system disclosed in J. W. Balde U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,072, flat flexible cables are laid along a floor, under a flat peripheral flange at the bottom of a bracket, which bracket is then attached, e.g., by an adhesive material or by fasteners, to the floor. The flat flexible cables extend up through a central opening within the bracket, and into a central connection zone between two spaced, parallel-extending, raised flanges on the bracket. The two raised flanges are adapted to receive opposite ends of up to five female telephone connectors bridging the space between the raised flanges, such female connectors serving to terminate the flat flexible cables. Since the flat flexible cables pass under the peripheral flange and emerge at the central connection zone through the central opening of the bracket, it should be clear that the cables may enter the central connection zone from any direction. The presence of multiple flat flexible cables, passing under the peripheral flange of the bracket from multiple directions, will, however, limit somewhat the area at the bottom of the peripheral flange which may be used in adhesive-attachment of the bracket to the floor. Moreover, such multiple cables may tend to lift the flange, adding stress to an adhesive bond. Thus, where adhesive-attachment is desired but potential flat flexible cable laying arrangements might render passage of the multiple flat flexible cables under a peripheral flange unsuitable for adhesive-attachment, a modified configuration, with the cables extending over a flat-bottomed plate, which is adhesively-attached to the floor, and into a central connection zone, may be more appropriate.
The flat flexible cable terminating system of E. D. Bunnell U.S. Pat. No. 4,030,801 employs a flat-bottomed base plate, which is attached to a floor by fasteners. Two parallel-extending sidewalls stretch upwardly from the base plate and include laterally-projecting ears for receiving opposite ends of two connectors. Each of the connectors is associated with a different one of two flat flexible cables which extend parallel to the sidewalls and toward the laterally-projecting ears from opposite ends of the base plate. The base plate, which is adapted to receive only the two flat flexible cables, is covered, after the termination of the cables and the laying of a carpet over the cables, by a screw-attached housing. The housing has a carpet-engaging, outer periphery which extends outwardly of, and thereby surrounds, an outer periphery of the base plate. Since a screw-attachment operation for securing the housing to the base plate, with the outer periphery of the housing engaging the carpet outwardly of the outer periphery of the base plate, creates upward forces on the base plate which tend to lift the base plate from the floor, the arrangement is evidently not well adapted for adhesive-attachment of the base plate to the floor. Moreover, although the Bunnell patent does disclose the use of a one-piece, flanged, protective fixture to cover the base plate during carpet-laying, the flanges on the fixture are too short, and are not appropriately placed, for adequate protection of substantial lengths of flat flexible cable, extending to the base plate, during carpet cutting operations.
Accordingly, it would clearly be desirable to provide improved facilities for terminating flat flexible cables, which facilities are well adapted for firm adhesive-attachment to a floor prior to terminating of the cables and to laying of carpeting over the cables, which facilities preferably are also well adapted for terminating multiple cables coming from multiple directions, and which facilities include means for reliably protecting substantial lengths of flat flexible cables during carpet cutting operations.